Henry VIII
by Orpah
Summary: England's life shortly before and during Henry VIII's reign! non-country pairings mostly, some OCs
1. Chapter 1

I like having Vatican City and Switzerland, they've got to be some of my favorites! Especially the uniforms Swiss Guards have to wear- Where else are you going to see an army uniform like that? Okay, so anyway, apparently the only way a Swissman can serve in an army outside of his country is if he becomes a Swiss Guard at the Vatican. In other words, they can't be part of the UN peacekeepers or anything like that...

Anyway, Switzerland won't be in this one, but the Papal States will, which is basically Vatican City's predecessor, but they had actual military power and stuff. A lot of the popes of the time were either corrupt or just not helpful, which made reformists come about, who wanted nothing to do with the Pope and believed people should be their own judge of the Bible/obey a different power. Martin Luther is one well-known example. Anyway, here goes nothing!

I don't own Hetalia! end /AN/

England looked at Spain from behind his young future ruler. He could see Spain seemed pretty pleased with the arrangement, a hand on his princess's shoulder as their kings signed the engagement, and then shook hands. Spain gave Catherine a quick kiss on top of the head, and then turned her over to Arthur, the crown prince. The young couple smiled pleasantly at each other, and England could feel something inside him melt. They seemed so happy together...

As it turned out, he was quite right to think so, as the royal couple got along very well, conversing in Latin since Catherine didn't speak English. The way they looked at each other was loving, but not lustful. It was a sweet thing to see.

However, it was too good to last. While England felt the fever spread on in his own body, he could see both teenagers struck down by the same illness. And he could only watch helplessly as Arthur succumbed to it, leaving Catherine a widow when she was barely even married.

His current king, Henry VII, was very much upset over the death of his son. Fortunately, he had a second son, Henry. Catherine could marry him.

However, there was one tiny issue with that: it could be considered incest, since she was his brother's wife. Which was why, now, they were talking to Papal States' boss, the pope. He looked over at the other country, whose hands were folded properly inside his robes.

"So, do you think your boss will let them have a dispensation?" England asked, a little bored since there was absolutely nothing to do. Papal States nodded stiffly. "It's likely. Nothing will be harmed by this union, after all, so I don't believe it will take long."

"That's good. Thanks," England replied, sighing a little as he fractionally relaxed in his seat. He knew the Papal States were on better terms with him than say, Prussia, but it didn't mean they were friends per se. The silence followed for a while, until finally England's boss emerged triumphantly, gripping a piece of paper in his hand.

England glanced back at the other nation, then left without word.

As he arrived back at home, he could see Prince Henry was somewhat pleased with the information that he could marry his older brother's wife, and England couldn't really blame him. She was nice, she was smart, and she was pretty. It was to be expected, since she was from Spain, after all, the daughter of the powerful Spanish queen Isabella.

Also, this was such a smart move for them. To ally with Spain would mean it would be the two of them against that frog France, and that gave him all the more chances of defeating him.

However, in the months to come, Isabella's death occured, causing King Henry to reconsider the marriage of Prince Henry and Catherine. Spain was now not nearly as strongly held together with only Ferdinand in charge. It had less political advantage, and so the poor princess was left in a limbo of sorts, stuck here in England without being provided for.

England looked at her, and could feel his heartstrings being pulled at. Here she was, in this bad situation, and she still held her head so high. He walked over, sitting down next to her. "Hello. How are you doing?" he asked her politely. She looked over at him, and he caught something like regret in her eyes, before she smiled at him.

"I am doing well, in spite of my situation. And you?" She spoke with an accent, but it was pretty to England. Prince Arthur had already explained to her who England was, so she had no qualms speaking to him. He nodded back, looking slightly sheepish.

"I'm sorry my king is behaving in this way towards you. If I could do something about it, I would..." He sighed, leaning back a little in his seat. She shook her head. "It is not your fault. And do not worry, it is my fate to be your queen one day. It will happen." England wished he could have that kind of faith in the future. As for now, he was a little concerned. Henry seemed like a nice enough lad, and very learned too, but there was just something about him that made England a little nervous.

For now, he had nothing to worry about. His king still lived, and hopefully would live some time....

/AN/ If anyone's at all interested in this, I would absolutely love to continue it! It's my first time having actual historical characters involved, so let me know if I made some sort of mistake! I intend to make this a long story!


	2. Chapter 2

Woo-hoo! And now for the second chapter!

No one had questions, so here goes nothing!

I don't own Hetalia! end /AN/

England was still somewhat surprised at the news. He rubbed at his ears, staring back at the messenger in confusion. "What? Surely I didn't hear you right...." The messenger spread his hands wide emphatically.

"The King is dead, God bless his soul! And now, Henry VIII will be king!" England sighed, waving for the boy to leave. His king had died so suddenly, and Prince Henry was so young.... Could he make a good leader, or would he become a puppet? What would become of him now?

He left to go visit the young monarch, to make sure he was alright.

As he entered the room, he could see the slightly grim-faced Henry being prepared for the coronation ceremony. Turning at England's entrance, Henry smiled slightly at him, though it was a slightly sad smile. "I suppose I'm going to be king now. Have you got any advice for me?"

England hesitated. What to say to the new king... Rule wisely? Of course he knew that. Never lie? Well, sometimes it was necessary to shade the truth a little. Don't do bad things? Come on, everyone knew that....

"Choose a smart wife." Where did that come from? England wasn't sure why he told Henry that, but the young monarch seemed to be mulling this over thoughtfully. "Okay. That is a good idea." His eyes seemed to brighten considerably as he realized something. "Okay! It will be done."

England realized now was the time to leave, and as he glanced back, he hoped he hadn't given the new king a bad idea....

_A short time later...._

"It was my father's dying wish that I marry Catherine of Aragon and make her my queen." To say England was surprised would be an understatement. He found it somewhat hard to believe his former king had had a change of heart, even on the deathbed. But he did like Catherine, and thought she would make a wonderful queen, even if she did not give them the biggest political advantage.

Also, he could tell by the way Henry looked at her that he genuinely liked her, despite her being older than him.

Now, they would have a wedding, though maybe not as lavish as Arthur's had been. England stood proudly watching, glad that Henry had chosen Catherine. They would make a happy couple, and have children who would carry on their reign, just as Catherine was like her mother. He could foresee a strong dynasty of Catholic kings of England that would rule with a steady and benevolent hand, and the thought made him almost sigh out loud.

As soon as their wedding was over, the happy couple came over to talk to England. Catherine was rosy and smiling, while Henry stood there looking as strong and proud as possible. Catherine was the first to say something. She took England's hand, saying excitedly, "I told you my destiny was to be Queen of England. Now I shall do what I can do, for God and my new country."

England couldn't help but catch her calm yet excited enthusiasm, and he smiled at her. He also shook Henry's hand. He was quite certain the boy would not regret his choice...

As he had predicted, the couple seemed to balance each other out, ruling England carefully, yet firmly. A baby had not come yet, but neither England nor Henry were that concerned. Henry had already had a child, and so naturally it was sure there would be more to come.

When Catherine became pregnant for the first time, England was there to congratulate her. She smiled as he entered the room. "England! It is good to see you. I presume you've heard the news?" England laughed, feeling like a giddy child. "Of course I've heard the news! We're going to have an heir!"

After that, England seemed determined to follow the queen around and make sure nothing went wrong. They talked a lot during these times, and England grew almost infatuated with the queen. Then disaster struck.

"O-oh my..." Catherine said, suddenly holding her abdomen. England almost panicked, providing an arm for support immediately. "What's wrong? Is it the baby? It's too soon to go into labor!" Suddenly, Catherine's hand gripped England's arm like a lifeline. "Get me to the midwife, please..." The pain in her voice was evident, and England wasted no time in lifting her bridal style and running for the midwife.

She was swiftly settled in her room, and England was shooed out, stuck waiting outside with Henry, not knowing if Catherine -or the heir- would live or die.

It was positively unbearable for both men, who paced, bit their fingernails, had awkward, stilted conversations, anything to take their minds off of it. England buried his hands in his hair in despair. He couldn't lose such a good queen -and friend- so soon, and for Henry, surely it would be disastrous. The young man was still ruled by his selfish whims, as many people of his age were. How would he react to the loss of his wife?

The door creaked open, and both men looked sharply at the door. The grim-faced midwife emerged, hands bloodied and poised to deliver bad news.

/AN/ Cliffhanger! I want to point out that by saying England is infatuated with the queen, I do not mean that it is some sort of secret love affair. Fact is, Catherine was very popular with the English people, so I thought this would be the best way to portray it.


	3. Chapter 3

And thanks for the reviews, guys! Anne Boleyn will show up fairly soon, and that's when things will start heating up!

I don't own Hetalia! end /AN/

The midwife sighed, while England watched tensely. "It would seem her majesty was pregnant with twins-" Here, Henry's face looked slightly proud and yet despairing, "-but she seems to have miscarried one of them. Rest assured, the other is well, my liege." Henry seemed to visibly relax. England let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.

So, at least they still had an heir. Everything would be fine, and Catherine would be fine.

When Catherine was allowed out again, England could see she did indeed still have a bump, which relieved any remaining fears he might have had. She seemed to be paler than before, however, not rosy as she had been when she had both babies still. England figured that a miscarriage was pretty draining, even if one didn't lose both of the babies.

Henry seemed to be on edge, however, having Catherine's ladies in waiting make sure the queen did not do anything that could cause another miscarriage- so now, she was sitting her room embroidering.

England entered her room, and she looked up, smiling, glad for a distraction. "Good afternoon, England. How are you?" He took a seat in the chair across from her, smiling pleasantly back. "I'm well. How are you doing?"

A look of sick worry flitted over her face, before it was replaced by a calm smile. "I'm feeling better."

Despite her placations, England could not shake the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

* * *

"How can a baby just disappear?! What did you do?!" Henry berated his wife, who was obviously fighting to keep a dignified, impassive face. It made England's heart ache to watch. Catherine was a strong woman, but the public humiliation might be enough to overcome even her.

He still didn't know how it was possible for the baby to disappear without a miscarriage, however.

As Henry stormed out of the room, Catherine sank down into a chair for a moment. England started towards her, but she stood up suddenly, not looking at England as she went to the chapel. England sighed, knowing he should have expected her to prefer prayer to his company at this point. She fingered her rosary, praying fervently, and, as England looked closely, he swore he could see moisture leaking from the corners of her eyes.

England looked away respectfully, leaving the room quietly. He owed her at least that much dignity, after all.

* * *

As the years moved on, more disappointments like the disappearing baby occurred, causing some distance and heartache between Henry and Catherine. England knew the Spanish princess was praying desperately for a baby, and always felt some sort of guilt, almost, though he knew he had nothing to do with it. It was Catherine's fault, though not personally, since clearly Henry could reproduce. He had another son, who was illegitimate, so obviously the problem was with Catherine's body.

England didn't like to dwell too much on that, however, as he still cherished the queen, even if the king did not seem to.

However, it did not mean the king did not attend to his duty of attempting to create an heir, and finally, Catherine was pregnant again. England was ecstatic, but careful not to excite Catherine. Her pregnancies had failed so many times before, after all, and he didn't want her to be too hopeful and break her heart again. Also, she was supposed to remain completely calm and practically immobile, in the hopes of preventing a miscarriage this time.

England was not even permitted to see her during the whole nine months, and spent a rather significant amount of time outside her door, languishing and praying for the baby.

When the day finally came, it was all he could do not to bite his nails down past the nubs. Henry seemed to be in a similiar sort of mood, but still remained more dignified, his brow troubled as he waited for word of his child. Finally, word did come: It was a girl.

Henry seemed slightly disappointed, and England couldn't help but feel a pang himself. A girl would not get Catherine back in Henry's favor, nor would it secure the future of the Tudor line. And even if England didn't always like Henry the best, it was better than all out warfare over who got the throne when he passed on.

"Can we see the baby?" England asked, feeling a little excited. Maybe this baby would at least survive... That would be good.

Henry got up, intending to see his wife as well as the baby, and they both went into the room. Catherine was there, looking utterly exhausted, but she smiled when she saw the both of them.

"Hello, your highness." She seemed to be beaming a little, tiredness still at the corners of her eyes. Henry managed something that looked a little like a smile. England smiled at her, even though the greeting had not been for him.

He could not wait to see the new Princess.

However, he did not get the chance for some time, until they were going to install the baby as Princess of Wales. England was a little surprised, as the position was usually reserved for princes, but he wasn't going to complain.

Of course, Wales was, but it was mostly grumbling under his breath. Even he couldn't deny the baby was adorable.

* * *

England watched as Henry talked animatedly with the woman, whose sister, none too long before, had been the king's mistress. He couldn't say he liked Anne Boleyn much, but it wasn't like he had to- she was just probably going to be another mistress. It wasn't unusual, but he hoped Catherine didn't notice, as futile as that hope was.

Though what was strange was that Henry still had not made Anne his mistress. In fact, as far as England knew, Anne had coyly refused. He didn't know what on earth she could want, flirting with Henry like that, but something inside him twisted with dread.

/AN/ And, it's my first update on this in months! I hope you guys like it, and can forgive me for taking so insanely long! The pregnant with twins thing was wishful thinking on the part of the court- Catherine had miscarried, but got an infection that made her appear possibly still pregnant. So, of course, that's what they assumed...


	4. Chapter 4

Well, now things will start heating up! Hopefully...

Now, one important thing to remember: Anne Boleyn was extremely unpopular with the people of England. So, England will probably take a really strong disliking to her as time goes on.

And, Henry's illegitimate son was Henry Fitzroy, who was three years younger than Mary. He was born to his mistress, Bessie Blount.

I don't own Hetalia! end /AN/

England couldn't see why the king preferred Anne's company over Catherine's now. There was just something about Anne, that made him dislike her, that he couldn't place...

Until he found the letters she had sent the king.

He hadn't been snooping, really, he hadn't. Sometimes he looked over what the king was up to, that was all. But when he found the flowery love letters, complete with the demand for marriage before getting intimate, he felt a strange smoldering anger in his heart at Anne. How dare she try and take his beloved queen's place... She served the queen, and here she was, stabbing her in the back!

Hopefully, nothing would come of it... Surely, England reasoned, there was no way to get rid of Catherine without an international incident. She had so many powerful connections, after all...

* * *

The princess was blossoming into a fine-looking young lady, and one would have to be blind not to think so. Her red hair might be offputting to the superstitious type, but it didn't bother England. Other than the slight resemblance to Scotland, of course.

Soon, she should be married. And, naturally, several such arrangements were being made, making the young girl very excited. Her usual collected attitude had melted away today, as she discussed the possibility of marriage with England.

"I hope I have lots of children, and that there's no civil war in the country I'll live in!" She said breathlessly, hands clasped together as if she could see the wedding taking place already. England smiled.

"I just hope you don't end up in France. I'd hate to have to go there to visit, after all." It was a joke, of course, and she laughed lightly. Then, Mary looked slightly guilty.

"Do you think... My husband will be good looking and charming?" She asked, sounding as if she thought she was horrible for even asking about superficial things. England almost grimaced, knowing royalty wasn't always known for being good-looking, but then sighed, nodding.

"Of course. And even if he's not good-looking, there's no way any man could be anything but charming towards you," he reassured, hoping it would be enough. And it was, as Mary immediately turned back to the exciting prospects she had.

* * *

On that morning, England woke with an ominous feeling in the pit of his gut. He didn't consider himself superstitious, but this was surely a bad sign...

After breakfast, he made his way over to see the queen, as he typically did.

He knocked on her door, and she let him, as was the routine. There was the usual deck of cards, with which they play a game with several of the ladies-in-waiting. Including Anne Boleyn, much to England's distaste, but she was good at cards.

As Catherine dealt the cards, there was another knock at the door. One of the ladies-in-waiting immediately stood to answer it, and recieved a piece of paper from the knocker. It had the king's royal seal, and just looking at it made England's heart sink. Was he going to accuse the queen of treason or infidelity?

The lady handed the paper to Catherine, who took it delicately. The ladies watched silently as she broke the seal and opened it.

England's stomach had filled with dread, especially at the expression that spread across the queen's face as she read. Her face went pale, and her eyebrows drew together, as if she were reading something she didn't understand.

She stood up quickly, tucking the paper back into her dress. "I need to be alone now," she said, somewhat stiffly, before she quickly walked to the chapel. England followed, staying back a little, not wanting to interrupt her prayer. As she fingered her beads, she whispered prayers under her breath, in her native Spanish.

He waited for some time, until she was finally done. Then he approached. "What is it? What happened?"

She sighed, handing him the paper. He slowly unfurled it, and read. It announced that Henry was going to get his marriage annulled, and that their marriage was clearly wrong in the sight of God.

England felt like his breath had left him. This was because of Anne.

/AN/ And, I'm happy I actually updated... Just so you're aware, annulment is not the same as divorce. It's basically saying the marriage never happened because of some special circumstance, such as one partner already being married. And now, things are getting interesting, I hope... ^^


	5. Chapter 5

And now, the battle begins, folks. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well as the last one! And, yay, Papal States shows up again! I think we'll see some more countries in the next chapter, perhaps... I'm not entirely decided yet...

I don't own Hetalia! end /AN/

"Your Majesty!" England said, striding towards Henry. The monarch turned, looking mildly surprised. "Yes? Did you need something?"

"What is this about an annulment?! Your marriage is perfectly sound!" England said, wanting to get straight to the point. Henry, however, sighed. "England, I have been doing a lot of pondering lately, and it has occurred to me, after reading the Bible, that I have clearly violated God's law. I have married my brother's wife, and that's why I don't have an heir. Our marriage is not legitimate in the eyes of God."

"And I suppose Anne has absolutely nothing to do with it?" England said evenly, though he felt angry.

The look in the king's eyes sickened the country. "Well, I intend to marry her, once my marriage to Catherine is annulled. She is amazing, England, and I don't think I can live without her."

England just stared. Were they talking about the same conniving shrew?

* * *

England felt sick to his stomach as he sat outside the Pope's hearing room, trying to avoid the look Papal States was giving him. What, had he expected him to somehow convince the king not to do this?! This was not his fault, and this was not what he wanted!

"There's no way he'll say yes. We gave a dispensation for them to marry, how can he claim that the marriage was wrong?" Papal States was still giving England something of a dull glare. England winced a little at his sharp tone.

"I know, alright? He says he read it in the Bible or something..." Papal States cut in, obviously ticked off. "Oh, so now he thinks he knows more than the Pope himself?! The very gall!!"

England winced again. "Look, I'm sure it will be over soon... The Pope will say no, and then Henry will have to abide by it." He feared that might mean the assasination of the queen, but that was just how things were.

However, Henry stormed out just then, and England felt a slight relief. The Pope said no.

"I will get my marriage annulled..." Henry muttered, heading out, and England followed, hoping he would just forget all of this.

* * *

Henry went back several times, demanding annulment, but England didn't go with him every time. Right now, he was with the queen, who looked like she hadn't slept in a while.

"Catherine? Are you feeling okay?" he asked, and she gave him a weak smile. "Of course, England. And how are you?"

"I'm fine," he replied half-heartedly. However, just then, Anne walked up, curtseying to the queen with the slightest smirk playing at her lips. "Did sir England come for cards again, your Majesty?" England almost growled at the hidden sneer in her tone, but restrained himself, as he saw Catherine stiffly do.

"No, Lady Anne, we are merely conversing. I am not in need of your assistance at this time." At the tone in Catherine's voice, the other ladies in waiting were watching, seeing what Anne would do now. Anne merely bowed her head a little, somehow still maintaining that defiant, disrespectful air. "Of course, your Majesty. We all know how you love your country so."

Catherine turned away from her stiffly as she left, and England glared at her back. How he hated that witch! Coming in, and stealing Henry's heart that way. Hurting Catherine the way she did. It made him want to tear her to pieces...

But anger would not befit a queen, and Catherine's features were composed into a careful mask. "The weather of late has been beautiful, don't you think?"

England could only nod, sighing a little as he tried to release his anger. What would happen to the Spanish Princess who'd stolen his heart?

/AN/ Okay, so, obviously the Pope would not agree to the annulment, because they'd said it was morally sound before and to say otherwise would be to say they were wrong. It simply didn't make sense. But it would seem Henry may have really believed his marriage was immoral in the eyes of God, despite the circumstances. Also, one thing I want to point out: This whole debacle is not and should not be considered as all Anne's fault, as they generally considered it in the day. It takes two to tango, and the king obviously shouldn't have been courting Anne when he was married. It's only England's point of view that it is all her fault, and he will probably look at it that way throughout the whole story.

And, lastly, yet again, I do not mean romantically in the last line. Because that would kind of make Catherine just as guilty of adultery etc. as Henry, and you can see why that wouldn't work...


	6. Chapter 6

I'm so glad with the response I got! Thanks guys! And, hey, we're going to have arguing people in this one! I hope I can pull that one off... *crosses fingers*

I don't own Hetalia! end /AN/

The months had already gone by, and Henry's patience was growing short. England feared what he might do to be able to marry the woman who had bewitched him so, but what happened next caught him off guard.

"What?!"

"I said I'm breaking off from the church in Rome," Henry repeated himself, seeing as England didn't seem to hear him properly the first time.

"But- but- that just- why?!" England said, rather at a loss for coherent accusations. Henry shook his head.

"Because, they're obviously not meant to lead the church. They're corrupt." _You mean they won't give you an annulment so you're angry,_ England thought, but he did not dare say it aloud.

"Now, I will lead the church in England. And my first act will be to annul my marriage." Henry's statement made England gape. Was the king that horribly in love with Anne?

* * *

Of course, when Catherine was summoned for a trial of her marriage, England insisted upon being there. Both walked through the large doorway, though Catherine walked to the center of the room, while England stood off to the side. She stood there, as dignified as she ever was.

A cleric shifted in his seat, shuffling some papers as he cleared his throat. "Lady Catherine of Aragon, this court has been called to determine the legitimacy of your marriage. The question has been raised of the consummation of your marriage with Arthur. Is it or is it not true that you consummated your marriage?"

Here was the loophole Henry needed. If she had indeed consummated her marriage with Arthur, it would be very clearly a case of marrying his brother's wife, which was wrong. However, Catherine held her head high.

"It is not true that my marriage was consummated with Arthur." A murmur rippled through the court. Henry looked displeased, frowning. The cleric pressed on. "But, Arthur heard telling of his conquests... How do you explain the difference in stories?"

Catherine pursed her lips a little. "We did not consummate the marriage, as we were too young in the eyes of both our caretakers." England watched with concern. Conflicting stories certainly weren't in the queen's favor...

"Or, perhaps you do not remember clearly?" the cleric suggested, and if the queen had been anyone else, she probably would have shown anger. However, she only replied in a stiff tone, "I believe I would remember something like that. As it were, I was a virgin at the time of my marriage to Henry."

England glanced at Henry. The man's face gave away nothing, as he watched Catherine dispassionately.

"Your highness, is that true?" The cleric asked Henry cautiously. Henry, however, gave a slow shake of his head. "I... can't recall. I couldn't tell."

"I was a virgin, your highness, and I have only ever been faithful to you. Why do you treat me so?" The slight accusation in Catherine's tone made Henry stiffen a little.

"Our marriage is not right in the eyes of God, or he would have given me an heir." Henry replied, his tone weak in emotion. Catherine's fiery eyes met his. "I would not lie about this; I have never lain with any man save your highness, never loved another as I have loved you, never borne children to any other. For the sake of our daughter, and for the sake of all things holy, please, stop this madness and accept me as your wife!"

England watched Henry with bated breath: would the appeal be enough to break past his devotion to Anne and remind him of his love for Catherine?

"The children you bore me died, save one, a daughter. The devil clearly desired this marriage, tricking me into marrying you so that I would have no heir and the country would go to ruin! The devil's hand has been in our union from the very beginning, causing our children to die at birth or disappear from the womb entirely! God did not intend this union to ever take place!" Henry's voice grew in volume as he talked, for he clearly believed their marriage should not have taken place.

"Henry, I have always loved you! The devil could not cause a love as pure as mine, nor a daughter as good as Mary! You were not tricked into marrying me, for your love used to be as strong as mine. Please, recall our wedding night; recall the joy you felt at Mary's birth; recall the evenings we used to steal! Do not forget your love for me!" Catherine's plea was tearful and emotional, but Henry's face did not change.

"By the power vested in me, I will annul this marriage; you should accept that it never existed." England could feel the queen's raw grief, for though she remained dignified, her mask had slipped a little, showing her pain to her husband.

"Never, never shall it be so! I shall always be your wife!" she insisted fervently, and Henry scowled. "We will adjourn for now; the trial continues tomorrow."

The unsympathetic clerics filed out, and England flew to Catherine's side. How could this happen?!

"Catherine, are you alright?" She took the arm offered her, and her hands were trembling. "England, I will fight this; Henry cannot just dismiss our marriage this way!"

England knew Catherine had powerful connections. Maybe, just maybe, the international pressure would be enough to stop Henry...

/AN/ This is the fastest I've ever updated this story, I'm sure! Okay, so, obviously I've taken something of an artistic license, since I don't know what they said for sure... Anyway, as everyone knows, Henry broke off with the Roman Catholic church, making himself head of the church in England so he could annul his marriage. The next chapter is when there will be other countries showing up, k? *looks sheepish*


	7. Chapter 7

I know I haven't continued this one in well over a month... sorry again... I have a lot of schoolwork to do, so this has taken forever to get around to...

I don't own Hetalia! end /AN/

England had been right. Catherine's connections were enough to cause a lot of contention from other countries. Namely, the Holy Roman Empire and Papal States had come to visit, and their bosses were apparently very angry.

"I can't believe you'd defy my boss like this!" Papal States raged at him, arms waving emphatically. He was one of the Italian brothers, after all. England glared back.

"I can do what I want!" Who was Papal States to tell him what to do?

Holy Roman Empire was glaring sullenly. "It's my boss's aunt you think you can get rid of." England gulped a little. "Well, it's not like I'm killing her! You can't tell me what to do!"

Papal States would have absolutely none of that. "Of course I can! My boss is the leader of the church, you can't just decide you know better!"

England's lip twisted. He may not have liked the changes Henry was trying to make, but there was no way he would listen to these two acting superior and telling him what to do!

"Yes I can! Your boss is corrupt, and you know it!" England's statement caused Papal States to tighten his mouth into a stern little frown. "He's nothing of the sort, and he's not as bad as your boss!" Which really was a contradicting statement if one looked at it right, but Papal States seemed too incensed to really notice.

"My boss is cool, at least!" England retorted, proud as ever of Henry's athleticism. Papal States snorted. "That's the only thing he has going for him, certainly! England, you'd better stop this madness, or your boss will be excommunicated."

"So? You think I care about that?" In truth, it did make England feel a little clammy inside, but he shook it off. "You know what, I think we're done talking. You can go now."

Papal States huffed, turning to leave. "I was about to leave anyway!" Holy Roman Empire followed him out, giving England one last dirty look before he left. As soon as they were out the door, England sighed, sitting down. He had been slightly surprised, really. Why hadn't Spain come and argued for Catherine? He would have expected it of the country. Though, he'd heard that Spain was having problems because of the death of his queen, Isabella, as it were, and was probably too busy to even think of his princess.

Would this be how it ended for Catherine? Or would Henry come around? It was a question that had plagued England for the past couple of days, as the king and queen had argued in court. Never once had Catherine disparaged Henry, only speaking of him in loving terms, though Henry would only respond coldly. It seemed her fate was sealed.

Anne Boleyn, of course, had been flaunting her victory over the queen, and it infuriated England more. He could not think of a person more despicable than her at this time, bewitching the king the way she did and causing Catherine all this pain.

* * *

It all came to end one morning, and England watched as Catherine somberly packed. His heart ached for her, because not only had her own husband sent her away like this, but she would not get to ever see her daughter, Mary, again.

"I'm so sorry, Catherine..." He said, words choking a little bit in his throat. He didn't know what else to say to her, for he couldn't call himself gifted with words. Catherine looked back at him sadly. "It's God's will that I should carry this burden, England. It's not your fault."

_Yes, it's that harlot's_, England thought, but he did not need to say it aloud.

Catherine smiled slightly at him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I shall never forget you, England. These years here have been some of the best of my life." She did not need to add that some of the worst years of her life had also been spent here, for that was something that was painfully pricking England's heart at that point.

Catherine's ladies-in-waiting (minus one treacherous one) came in then, helping her carry her things out. Where Catherine would be living, she certainly wouldn't have these women to help her.

And then she departed, leaving England behind. He watched her go, and cursed the day that Anne was born. Now, she would be his queen, whether he liked it or not...

/AN/ Okay, so, naturally the Pope was very upset over the break from the church, and said so. The Holy Roman Emperor was Catherine's nephew, but he certainly wasn't going to go to war over her. So, while she was safe from death, there was no way to save her marriage aside from Henry seeing the light.

Also, I'd like to point out again that England would see this as entirely Anne's fault even though it takes two to tango. And, on another side note, Mary was eleven at the time her mother was banished, and she never saw her again.


End file.
